Secure money changing and money receiving system

ABSTRACT

A secure money changing and money receiving system for convenience establishments and the like includes a safe, a moneychanging apparatus, and a money receiving apparatus. The safe has a theft proof housing and a normally locked access door, and the money-changing apparatus has a theft proof housing which is attached to the housing of the safe. The money receiving apparatus includes a theft proof housing having at least one window and includes a partition which separates the housing into coin and currency receiving portions. A pair of doors are provided for normally retaining coins and currency in the coin and the currency receiving portions of the housing, respectively, and for selectively permitting the coins and the currency to pass into the safe. Thus, all of the money that is on the premises of the convenience establishment is situated either in the safe or in the change-making apparatus and is therefore totally secure from theft.

United States Patent [191 [451 Jan. 8, 1974 Carlberg [75] Inventor:Edwin W. Carlberg, Dallas, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Dale 0. Simpson, Dallas, Tex. a

part interest [22] Filed: Nov. 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 200,404

[52] US. Cl 133/1 R, 194/DIG. 9, 232/431 [51] Int. Cl. G07f 9/00 [58]Field of Search l94/D1G. 9; 133/1,

Primary Examiner-Robert Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. KocovskyAttorney-D. Carl Richards et a1.

[ 7] ABSTRACT A secure money changing and money receiving system forconvenience establishments and the like includes a safe, amoney-changing apparatus, and a money receiving apparatus. The safe hasa theft proof housing and a normally'locked access door, and themoneychanging apparatus has a theft proof housing which is attached tothe housing of the safe. The money receiving apparatus includes a theftproof housing having at least one window and includes a partition whichseparates the housing into coin and currency receiving portions. A pairof doors are provided for normally retaining coins and currency in thecoin and the currency receiving portions of the housing, respectively,and for selectively permitting the coins and the currency to pass intothe safe. Thus, all of the money that is on the premises of theconvenience establishment is situated either in the safe or in thechange-making apparatus and is therefore totally secure from theft.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SECURE MONEY CHANGING AND MONEY RECEIVINGSYSTEM BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As is well known, theUnited States has recently experienced a very marked increase in crime.A major aspect of this increase has comprised thefts from convenienceestablishments, i.e., convenience food stores, liquor stores, servicestations, and the like. This is because convenience establishmentsvarealmost always situated in highly accessible locations and heretoforehave almost always had relatively large amounts of readily accessiblecash on hand.

The present invention comprises a secure money changing and moneyreceiving system which completely eliminates any possibility of theftfrom a convenience establishment, or the like. In accordance with thebroader aspects of the invention, the personnel of the establishment donot handle and are denied access to any money which may be on thepremises. This prevents theft from the establishment since absolutely nomoney is available to be stolen or taken in an armed robbery.

In accordance with the more specific aspects of the invention, a securemoney changing and money receiving system comprises a safe and achangemaking apparatus each having a theft proof housing. Customers ofthe convenience establishment receive change from the change-makingapparatus and then deposit the exact amount of money required for eachtransaction in a money receiving apparatus. When the proper amount ofmoney has been deposited, the money receiving apparatus is actuated todeposit the money in the safe. Thus, all money on the premises of theconvenience establishment is situated either in the change-makingapparatus or in the safe, and any possibility of theft from theconvenience establishment is completely eliminated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of theinvention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Descriptionwhen taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. -1 is a perspective view of a secure money changing and moneyreceiving apparatus incorporating the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the money receiving apparatus of theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the money receiving apparatus shown inFIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of part of a secure money changingand money receiving apparatus incorporating an alternative embodiment ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly toFIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a secure money changing and moneyreceiving system incorporating the preferred embodiment of theinvention. The system 10 comprises a work table 12 which may be formedfrom any convenient material, such as one of the various plasticmaterials that are commonly employed in fabricating work counters forconvenience establishments. A safe 14 is situated under and preferablysupports one end of the work table 12. It will be understood that thework table 12 may be as large as necessary for a particular installationand may be provided with additional supporting structures 16, ifdesired.

The safe 14 of the secure money changing and money receiving system 10comprises a theft proof housing 18 and an access door 20. The door 20 isnormally secured in the closed position shown in FIG. 1 by a lockingmechanism 22 which may comprise either a combination lock or a keyoperated lock. In any event, access to the safe 14 through the door 20is preferably available only to the owner of the convenienceestablishment, an armored car crew, or the like, and is not available topersonnel of the convenience establishment. The safe 14 may beequippedwith a plate 24 bearing a legend to this effect, if desired.

The safe 14 preferably comprises one of the commercially availablemodels, such as the safe manufactured by Diebold, Inc., of Canton, Ohio,and identified by that company as Model Number 12940. Depending on therequirements of a particular installation, the safe 14 may be mountedeither directly on the floor of a convenience establishmentor onsuitable supporting structure. Regardless of how it is supported, thesafe 14 is rendered immovable either by its own mass or by securing thehousing 18 to the floor or other structure which supports the safe 14.

The secure money changing and money receiving system 10 further includesa change-making apparatus 26 which is mounted on the work table 12. Thechangemaking apparatus 26 is equipped with a theft proof housing 28 andpreferably comprises one of the commercially available change-makingdevices. For example, the device manufactured by National Rejectors ofHot Springs, Ark., and identified by that company as X Changer Model30-05-000 modified to accept coins in 25 cent and 50 cent denominationsand currency in l $5, $10, and $20 denominations may be used. Thechange-making apparatus 26 is rendered immovable, preferably byattaching the housing 28 of the change making apparatus 26 to thehousing 18 of the safe 14. The latter may be accomplished either bybolts extending from the interior of the housing 28 to the interior ofthe housing 18 or by welding the housing 28 directly to the housing 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the secure money changing and moneyreceiving system 10 is also equipped with a money receiving apparatus30. The money receiving apparatus 30 comprises a theft proof housing 32including a pair of windows 34. As is best shown in FIG.'3, the housing32 is mounted on the work table 12 and is threadedly engaged with thehousing 18 of the safe 14. A bolt 36 extends through a lug 38 secured tothe housing 18 and through the housing 32 of the money-receivingapparatus 30 to prevent removal of the housing 32.

The housing 32 is provided with a coin receiving aperture 40, a currencyreceiving aperture 42 and a tape receiving aperture 44. A partition 46having an upper curved portion 48 is mounted within the housing 32 andfunctions to divide the interior of the housing into a coin receivingportion 50 and a currency receiving portion 52. The upper curved portion48 of the partition functions to prevent coins deposited in the housingthrough the coin receiving aperture 40 from commingling with currencydeposited in the housing 32 through the currency receiving aperture 42.

The money receiving apparatus 30 is further equipped with a pair ofdoors 54 and 56 mounted in the lower portion of the housing 32. Thedoors 54 and 56 are normally positioned in the horizontal orientationsshown in FIG. 3 and therefore normally function to retain coins in thecoin receiving portion 50 and to retain currency in the currencyreceiving portion 52, respectively. However, as is shown in FIG. 2, thedoors 54 and 56 are provided with a pair of actuating levers 58 and 60,respectively, whereby the doors may be pivoted downwardly to permitcoins and currency to drop out of the coin receiving and currencyreceiving portions of the housing 32 and through the lower portion ofthe housing.

A coin and currency receiving assembly 62 is secured to the lowerportion of the housing 32 of the money receiving apparatus 30. The coinand currency receiving assembly 62 includes an adapter 64 which issecured to the housing 32 and which supports a pair of money receivingbags 66. The partition 46 extends downwardly into the adapter 64 toprevent commingling of coins and currency falling therethrough from thehousing 32. Thus, all coins which are received in the money receivingapparatus 30 are eventually accumulated in the bag 66 situated beneaththe coin receiving portion 50 of the housing 32 and all currency that isreceived in the money receiving apparatus 30 is eventually accumulatedin the bag 66 situated beneath the currency receiving portion 52 of thehousing 32.

Those skilled in the art will realize that the money receiving apparatus30 of the secure money changing and money receiving system is adapted tonumerous variations and design. For example, whereas the doors 54 and 56illustrated in FIG. 3 are mounted for pivotal movement about axesextending parallel to the plane of the partition 46, the money receivingapparatus 30 could be provided with a single door mounted for pivotalmovement around an axis extending perpendicular to the plane of thepartition 46. In such a case, only one actuating lever would berequired. Single lever actuation may also be accomplished by providing alinkage for operating the doors 54 and 56 in synchronism. Anothermodification to the structure shown comprises providing a single bagforaccumulating all of the money that is deposited in the money receivingapparatus 30. Such a bag could be secured directly to the lower portionof the housing 32, if desired. Other changes to the basic structure ofthe money receiving apparatus 30 illustrated in the Drawings willreadily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the secure money changing and money receivingsystem 10 further includes an adding machine 68 which is mounted on thework table 12. The adding machine 68 is of the type that makes anoriginal tape T and a duplicate tape T bearing each transaction that isentered into the adding machine 68. In the practice of the presentinvention, the duplicate tape T is directed into the safe 14 through thetape receiving aperture 44 formed in the housing 32 of the moneyreceiving apparatus 30. As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, the duplicatetape T thereafter is directed into the bag 66 positioned to receivecurrency deposited in the money receiving apparatus 30. The tape T, isstored in the bag 66 until it is retrieved by the owner of theconvenience establishment, an armored car crew, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a secure money changing andreceiving system 10 comprising an alternative embodiment of theinvention. The system 10' is basically similar to the secure moneychanging and receiving system 10 in that it comprises a work table 12which is supported on a safe 14' comprising a theft proof housing 18.The system 10' further comprises a change-making apparatus 26' includinga housing 28' which is secured to the housing 18 of the safe 14' and amoney receiving apparatus 30' constructed identically to the moneyreceiving apparatus 30 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The basic difference between the two embodiments of the invention isthat whereas currency received in the money receiving apparatus 30' ofthe system 10 is deposited in a bag 66, coins received in the apparatus30 are not so deposited. Rather, all coins in the money receivingapparatus 30 are directed to a coin sorter 70 wherein they are sortedinto the various denominations of circulated coinage. The sorted coinsare then directed to a conveyor 72 which transports the coins to thechange-making apparatus 26'. By this means a full supply of coins ismaintained in the change-making apparatus 26 at all times.

OPERATION In the practice of the present invention a secure I moneychanging and money receiving system incorporating the invention isinstalled in a convenience establishment. If the safe of a particularsystem is relatively small, it is mounted on suitable supportingstructure and is secured to the floor of the establishment. On the otherhand, if the safe has sufficient mass so as to be immovable by ordinarymeans, it is merely positioned at a suitable location on the floor.After the safe has been installed, the work table 12 is erected and thechangemaking apparatus 26, the money receiving apparatus 30 and theadding machine 68 are mounted on the work table 12. As has beenindicated, installation procedure for the changemaking apparatus 26 and.the money receiving apparatus 30 includes securing the housings of bothdevices to the housing of the safe 14.

After the secure money changing and money receiving system has beeninstalled, it is employed to service customers of the convenienceestablishment. Each customer brings his merchandise, etc. to the worktable 12 whereupon personnel of the convenience establishment actuatethe adding machine 68 to calculate the total money owed by the customer.The portion of the original tape T produced by the adding machinerelating to the particular customers transaction is removed and given tothe customer. The customer then obtains change as necessary from thechange-making apparatus 26. Finally, the customer deposits the sumrequired for his particular transaction in the money receiving appartus30 of the secure money changing and money receiving system 10. When theproper amount of money has been deposited in the money receivingapparatus 30, the doors 54 and 56 are actuated to admit the money intothe safe.

It will be appreciated that throughout the operation of the secure moneychanging and money receiving system 10, the duplicate tape T prepared bythe adding machine 68 is admitted to the safe 14 through the tapereceiving aperture 44 of the money receiving apparatus 30. Thus, allmoney received at the convenience establishment and the duplicate tape Tare accumulated within the safe during the operation of the system.Subsequently, preferably after the convenience establishment is closed,the access door of the safe is opened to permit retrieval of the moneyand the duplicate tape therefrom. At the same time the change-makingapparatus 26 is refilled with coins and bills to permit further moneychanging thereby. Of course, if the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIG. 4 is employed, it is unnecessary to refill thechange-making apparatus with coins.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, secure moneychanging and money receiving systems incorporating the present inventioncan be constructed otherwise than is shown in the Drawings. For example,the change-making apparatus can be rendered immovable other than bysecuring it to the safe, such as by securing it to a wall, etc. Also,the safe need not be located under the work table but could be situtatedin the basement, etc. Money changing and money receiving systemsincorporating the invention may also be constructed in smaller sizeversions for use in buses, etc.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that in accordance with thepresent invention the personnel of a convenience establishment do nothandle any money whatsoever. Rather, all of the money situated at theconvenience establishment is enclosed either in the safe or in thechange-making apparatus of the secure money changing and receivingsystem. By this means access to money by the establishment is totallyprevented and any possiblity of theft from the establishment iscompletely eliminated.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it will be understood that the present invention is notlimited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerousrearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elementswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A secure money changing and money receiving system comprising:

a safe including a substantially theft proof outer housing and having anormally locked access door;

a relatively large work table supported on the safe wherein a salesclerk may face a customer across said table;

a change-making apparatus mounted on the work table and having asubstantially theft proof outer housing; said change-making apparatusmounted to be primarily accessible to a customer and including a moneyinlet and a change outlet said changemaking apparatus only dispensingchange upon the insertion of money into said money inlet;

a money receiving apparatus mounted on the work table and comprising:

a substantially theft proof box extending above said work tableincluding at least one transparent window portion on the side thereofand having separate coin and currency receiving apertures formed thereinin the upper portion;

means mounted within the housing for dividing the interior thereof intocoin receiving and currency receiving portions;

means for normally retaining coins and currency in the coin receivingand currency receiving portions of the box to enable the sales clerk andthe customer to view the currency deposited in said box prior todeposit, respectively, and for selective actuation to admit coins andcurrency from the housing into the safe; calculating means mounted onthe work table for determining and for providing duplicate tapesindicating the amount of money to be received in the money receivingapparatus and wherein the money receiving apparatus further includes anaperture for receiving one of the tapes from the calculating means andfor directing the tape into the safe; and

means rendering the safe, the change-making apparatus and the moneyreceiving apparatus substantially immovable.

2. The secure money changing and money receiving system according toclaim 1 wherein the retaining means of the money receiving apparatuscomprises separate doors for normally retaining coins in the coinreceiving portion and for normally retaining currency in the currencyreceiving portion, respectively, and wherein the receiving means of themoney receiving apparatus comprises separate members located within thesafe for receiving coins from the coin receiving portion and forreceiving currency from the currency receiving portion, respectively.

3. The secure money changing and money receiving system according toclaim 1 further comprising a coin sorting apparatus located within thesafe for receiving coins from the coin receiving portion of the housingof the coin receiving apparatus and means for transporting coins fromthe coin sorting apparatus to the changemaking apparatus.

1. A secure money changing and money receiving system comprising: a safeincluding a substantially theft proof outer housing and having anormally locked access door; a relatively large work table supported onthe safe wherein a sales clerk may face a customer across said table; achange-making apparatus mounted on the work table and having asubstantially theft proof outer housing; said change-making apparatusmounted to be primarily accessible to a customer and including a moneyinlet and a change outlet , said changemaking apparatus only dispensingchange upon the insertion of money into said money inlet; a moneyreceiving apparatus mounted on the work table and comprising: asubstantially theft proof box extending above said work table includingat least one transparent window portion on the side thereof and havingseparate coin and currency receiving apertures formed therein in theupper portion; means mounted within the housing for dividing theinterior thereof into coin receiving and currency receiving portions;means for normally retaining coins and currency in the coin receivingand currency receiving portions of the box to enable the sales clerk andthe customer to view the currency deposited in said box prior todeposit, respectively, and for selective actuation to admit coins andcurrency from the housing into the safe; calculating means mounted onthe work table for determining and for providing duplicate tapesindicating the amount of money to be received in the money receivingapparatus and wherein the money receiving apparatus further includes anaperture for receiving one of the tapes from the calculating means andfor directing the tape into the safe; and means rendering the safe, thechange-making apparatus and the money receiving apparatus substantiallyimmovable.
 2. The secure money changing and money receiving systemaccording to claim 1 wherein the retaining means of the money receivingapparatus comprises separate doors for normally retaining coins in thecoin receiving portion and for normally retaining currency in thecurrency receiving portion, respectively, and wherein the receivingmeans of the money receiving apparatus comprises separate memberslocated within the safe for receiving coins from the coin receivingportion and for receiving currency from the currency receiving portion,respectively.
 3. The secure money changing and money receiving systemaccording to claim 1 further comprising a coin sorting apparatus locatedwithin the safe for receiving coins from the coin receiving portion ofthe housing of the coin receiving apparatus and means for transportingcoins from the coin sorting apparatus to the change-making apparatus.